Time and Motion Study

1
Time and Motion Study

• Rebecca Johnston
• Operations Management
• Dr. Foster

2
Time and Motion Study Defined

• A method created to determine the correct time
  it takes to complete a certain task
• A method to establish the one best way to
  perform a task

3
Time and Motion Study Purposes

• To end goofing off and to establish what
  constituted a fair days work
• To make sure that the job being evaluated does
  not include any unnecessary motion by the worker

4
Time and Motion Study History

• Frederick W. Taylor and his followers developed
  and refined the Time Study
• Frank B. Gilbreth and his wife Lillian developed
  and refined the Motion Study
• Historically the two studies are discussed
  individually, today they generally are discussed
  as one

5
Time and Motion Study In your Organization

• Historically TM Studies were used in the
  manufacturing industry to evolve pay scales with
  the thought that money was the only motivation
  for work

6
Time and Motion Study In your Organization contd

• Today
• TM Studies can be effective for performance
  evaluations
• TM Studies can be used for planning purposes in
  order to predict the level of output that may be
  achieved
• TM Studies can be used to uncover problems and
  create solutions
• TM Studies can be used for time cost analysis

7
Time and Motion Study Objective

• The objective of the Time and Motion Study is
  to determine a normal or average time for a
  job, by using observers to record exactly how
  much time is being devoted to each task.

8
How it Works Step-by-Step

• 1. Establish the standard job method.
• 2. Break down the
• job into elements
• 3. Study the job.
• 4. Rate the workers performance

9
How it Works Step-by-Step contd

• 5. Compute the average time
• 6. Compute the normal time
• Nt(t)(RF) or
• Normal Time(elemental average time)
• (rating factor)
• 7. Compute the standard time
• ST(Nt)(1AF) or
• Standard Time(Normal cycle time)(1Allowance
  factor)

10
Time and Motion Study In Action

• How do medical residents spend their time at the
  hospital?

11
In Action contd

• 1. Coders/observers training was the
• 2. Activities were broken down into separate
  categories, 67 in total
• 3. The exact number of minutes per task were
  determined
• 4. Percentages of time devoted to each task were
  calculated

12
In Action contd

• A total of 13,383 minutes of activities were
  observed between the 8 residents
• Residents were involved in 1,726 coded activities
• These activities averaged 7.75 minutes each with
  a standard deviation of 14.5 minutes

13
Time and Motion Study Exercise
Element t (min) RF
1 2.51 1.10
2 5.29 1.15
3 4.21 1.10
4 3.57 1.05

• Compute the standard time for this job using an
  allowance factor of 20 percent.

14
Solution

• Use the formula
• (t)(RF)Nt
• Element 1
• (.251)(1.10).2761
• Element 2
• (.529)(1.15).6084
• And so on for element 3 and 4

Element T(min) RF t Nt
1 2.51 1.10 .251 .2761
2 5.29 1.15 .529 .6084
3 4.21 1.10 .421 .4631
4 3.57 1.05 .357 .3749
To get the normal cycle time you sum the Nt
values. Here 1.73 min
15
Solution

• To compute the standard time use the 20 percent
  allowance factor
• Nt(1AF)ST
• Here
• 1.73(1.20)2.08
• So the standard time for each element of this job
  is 2.08 minutes

16
Time and Motion Study Problems

• Observers are not always competent
• Those conducting the study are not always
  proficient in the job being observed
• The actions observed are not always reflective of
  the group as a whole

17
Time and Motion Study Problems contd

• Workers may not cooperate with a time and motion
  study
• They may resent the study if it is being used to
  determine the pay scale
• Workers may change the rate at which they work
• Pressure may increase mistakes made
• Workers may alter normal work methods to disrupt
  the study

18
References

• Ferguson, David S., Dont Call it time and
  motion study, IIT Solutions, Norcross. May 1997.
  Vol. 29, Issue 5.
• Finkler, Steven A., A Comparison of work-sampling
  and time-and-motion techniques for studies in
  health services research, Health Service
  Research, Chicago. Dec 1993. Vol. 28, Issue 5.
• Koehler, Kenneth G., Time Cost Analysis, CMA,
  Hamilton. May 1992. Vol. 66, Issue 4.
• Russell, Roberta Taylor, Bernard W., Operations
  Management, Prentice Hall Inc., Upper Saddle
  River, NJ. 2000.
• Stevens, Larry, Time Study Prompts New HR
  Efficiencies, Personnel Journal, Santa Monica.
  April 1994. Vol. 73, Issue 4.
• Stuttaford, Genevieve, The One Best Way Fredrick
  Winslow Taylor the Enigma of Efficiency,
  Publishers Weekly, New York. March 17, 1997. Vol.
  224, Issue 11.